72: Hollywood's invitation, an olive branch across the ocean

Coming out of Old Qin's quaint and elegant quadrangle courtyard, Lin Da's mood was restless for a long time.

The heavy script outline and character materials in his hand seemed to carry the weight of a thousand pounds, and also a brand new challenge that made his blood boil.

Hollywood! "the last silk road echo"!

These words, as if possessing magic, kept swirling in his mind.

Back in the hotel room, Lin Da did not slack off at all, and immediately immersed himself completely in this invitation from across the ocean.

Under the light, he spread out the all-English script outline and character biography, his brows gradually furrowed, but his eyes became brighter and brighter.

The character he was about to audition for was a famous frontier general named An Si Yuan during the prosperous Tang Dynasty.

This person was born a Hu person from the Western Regions, brave and skilled in battle, both intelligent and courageous, yet due to his complex identity and background, his heart was full of contradictions and struggles.

He had loyalty and a sense of belonging to the Great Tang Dynasty, but also found it difficult to let go of his longing and ties to his homeland.

In the play, he would serve as an important ally of the Western Regions envoy, jointly confronting a common enemy, yet at critical moments, due to his own position and inner conflicts, he would make some unexpected choices, a typical complex character who is both good and evil, with a strong tragic color.

"Interesting..." Lin Da watched with relish, a smile unconsciously curving at the corner of his mouth.

This character, although similar in historical background to Wei Zhongxian, whom he had previously played, had completely different personality and inner world.

If Wei Zhongxian was deep and introverted, erupting under suppression, then An Si Yuan was unrestrained and wild, struggling in contradictions, full of wild charm and a tragic sense of fate.

This strong contrast was undoubtedly a huge test for an actor's acting skills and character shaping ability.

What's more, the audition required an all-English performance segment!

Although Lin Da's English level was not too bad and daily communication was basically not a problem, it was imaginable how difficult it would be to portray such a complex historical figure in English and compete with excellent actors from all over the world on the same stage.

"System, use [Deep Script Analyzer (One-time)], target: 'the last silk road echo' script outline and character 'An Si Yuan' data," Lin Da silently recited in his heart.

"Ding! [Deep Script Analyzer] has been activated.

Analyzing..."

As the system prompt sounded, a cool stream of information poured into Lin Da's mind.

Everything about the historical background, plot outline, character relationships of "the last silk road echo," as well as the personality traits, emotional motivations, and potential explosive points of the character "An Si Yuan"... all were displayed before him with unprecedented clarity and depth.

Those details that were originally somewhat obscure due to language and cultural differences now became clear.

Lin Da felt that his understanding of this character instantly rose several levels.

In the following days, Lin Da completely locked himself in the hotel room and devoted himself wholeheartedly to preparing for the audition.

He repeatedly studied the script, pondering An Si Yuan's psychological state and behavioral logic in different situations.

He consulted a large amount of information on Tang Dynasty history, Western Regions culture, and frontier wars, hoping to gain a deeper understanding of that era, that magnificent era full of heroes and joys and sorrows.

He unhesitatingly added the 100 newly acquired Acting Points to the two highly targeted attributes: "Dialogue Skills (English)" and "Image and Temperament (Exoticism)."

He practiced his English lines over and over again in front of the mirror, trying to correct his pronunciation and intonation, striving to make every word full of the character's emotion and power.

He even began to try to imitate some performance segments of Hollywood powerful actors, learning how they shaped characters through details such as eyes, expressions, and body language.

This process was arduous and lonely.

He politely declined all unnecessary social activities, including Su Wanqing's renewed invitation for dinner.

He knew that now, he had to focus all his energy on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

During this period, Zhou Xingxing also called, excitedly telling him that his script for ""salted fish turn over battle plan"," under Lin Da's guidance, had been revised several times and had received preliminary approval from the boss of that small film and television company, even getting a small advance payment.

"Lin Da! When I finish filming this drama, I will definitely invite you to be the male lead!" Zhou Xingxing vowed over the phone.

Lin Da smiled and agreed, also happy for his good brother's progress.

But he knew that the big mountain in front of him still required him to climb with all his might.

Time passed by minute by minute.

The deadline for submitting the audition segment required by Hollywood was getting closer and closer.

Lin Da felt an unprecedented pressure, and also an unprecedented... excitement!

He knew that for him, this was a desperate gamble.

If he won, he would rise to the top, step onto the international stage, and start a new chapter in his acting career.

If he lost, he would not regret it.

Because he had already put in all his effort and sweat for it.

Finally, the day before the deadline, Lin Da completed the recording of his audition segment.

It was a five-minute monologue, performed entirely in English.

He poured all his understanding and insights into the character of An Si Yuan into these short five minutes.

At times, his eyes were sharp, like a soaring eagle on the grassland, full of wild flamboyance and unrestraint; at other times, his brows were tightly furrowed, his gaze deep, as if carrying the heavy and helpless burden of family and nation.

Although his English dialogue still carried a subtle accent, every word was full of the character's emotion and power, enough to move any professional judge.

When the last shot was completed, Lin Da let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as if his whole body was drenched in sweat.

He looked at himself in the camera, slightly tired but with exceptionally bright eyes, and a relieved smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He had done his best.

The rest, he would leave to fate.

He sent the recorded audition segment, along with his personal information, to the designated email address of "the last silk road echo" production team.

After doing all this, he felt an indescribable sense of exhaustion, like a tide washing over him.

He fell onto the bed and soon fell into a deep sleep.

In his dream, he seemed to see himself wearing a majestic armor, holding a long spear, riding a swift horse, galloping across the vast and boundless desert of the Western Regions.

Yellow sand filled the sky, and banners fluttered.

And he was precisely that Great Tang general, An Si Yuan, who left a magnificent mark in the long river of history!

The morning glow of Shanghai, with the unique slightly salty scent of the ocean, gently kissed Lin Da's sleeping face through the hotel's floor-to-ceiling window.

He slept exceptionally deeply this time.

The nerves that had been tense for days preparing for the "the last silk road echo" audition segment finally completely relaxed the moment the email was sent.

The fatigue of his body came like a tide, but it was also accompanied by a sense of relief and anticipation after a desperate gamble.

When he woke up, the sun was already high outside the window.

Lin Da stretched, and he heard a soft "crack" from all his bones.

He didn't get up immediately, but lay quietly on the bed, savoring the dream of war and yellow sand from last night.

An Si Yuan...

This character, full of tragic color and wild charm, had quietly taken root in his heart.

"Do your best, and leave the rest to fate," Lin Da murmured to himself, a faint smile on his lips.

He knew that the competition in Hollywood was far more brutal and intense than in China.

It was imaginable how difficult it would be for an unknown Chinese newcomer like him to stand out among many excellent international actors.

But he had already put in all his effort, pouring his understanding and insights into the character into that short five-minute audition segment.

No matter the outcome, he had no regrets.

In the following days, Lin Da did not allow himself to be immersed in anxious waiting.

He knew that instead of passively waiting for a verdict, it was better to actively prepare for the future.

He poured all his energy into the "chang'an mystery" script that Su Wanqing had sent him.

"System, use [Deep Script Analyzer (One-time)] on the 'chang'an mystery' script."

"Ding! [Deep Script Analyzer] has been activated.

Target script: 'chang'an mystery'.

Analyzing..."

As the system prompt sounded, a vast and detailed stream of information, like a trickling stream, poured into Lin Da's mind.

Everything about the historical background, story structure, character relationships, emotional Veins, and the personality traits, behavioral motivations, inner struggles, and potential explosive points of the male protagonist Li Mubai... all were displayed before him with unprecedented clarity and depth.

Those foreshadowing details that were originally somewhat obscure in the script, those subtexts hidden between the lines, now became clear.

Lin Da felt that his understanding of the character Li Mubai instantly rose several levels.

He seemed to clearly see that seemingly unrestrained but actually meticulous young minister, how he fought wits and courage with various forces in the treacherous city of Chang'an, and how he sought the truth amidst layers of mist.

He took out paper and pen and began to draw and write on the script, jotting down his understanding and insights.

He even began to try to imitate Li Mubai's tone and demeanor, practicing repeatedly in front of the mirror.

This process was focused and enjoyable.

He was immersed in the world of the character, forgetting the passage of time, and temporarily forgetting the wait from across the ocean.

During this period, Su Wanqing also called, asking for his opinion on the script.

Lin Da had an in-depth exchange with Su Wanqing about some of his initial thoughts and questions.

His unique insights and precise grasp of the character surprised Su Wanqing and further strengthened her determination to invite him to play the male lead.

"Teacher Lin, your understanding of Li Mubai is even deeper than ours, the screenwriters!" Su Wanqing praised sincerely over the phone, "I'm looking forward to our cooperation more and more!"

"Miss Su, you flatter me," Lin Da said with a modest smile, "I also look forward to working with such an excellent team as you and Director Li Mo."

Just as Lin Da was fully immersed in the preparation for "chang'an mystery," almost forgetting about the Hollywood audition, an international call from across the ocean suddenly broke his peaceful life.

The call was from Qin Mu Feng, Old Qin's assistant.

"Hello, Mr. Lin, I'm Old Qin's assistant."

On the other end of the phone, the assistant's voice carried a hint of uncontrollable excitement, "We just received news from the production team of Hollywood's 'the last silk road echo' that they are very, very satisfied with the audition segment you submitted!"

Lin Da's heart suddenly skipped a beat!

"They said that your performance is full of power and tension, perfectly showcasing the complexity and tragic nature of the character An Si Yuan.

Especially the wildness in your eyes and... a subtle vulnerability, left a very deep impression on them!"

"So..." The assistant paused, his tone even more excited, "They decided to officially invite you to participate in the next round of... video call interviews!

The interviewer will be the director of 'the last silk road echo,' the Oscar winner—James Cameron's proud student, the rising genius director, Marcus Lee!"

Marcus Lee!

Lin Da's breathing suddenly became a little rapid.

Although this director was young, he was known in Hollywood for his unique visual style and precise control over epic themes, and was one of the most watched rising directors in recent years.

To be personally interviewed by him was undoubtedly a huge affirmation of Lin Da's acting skills!

"Mr. Lin, the production team hopes to conduct a video call interview with you in three days.

I will send you the specific time and link via email shortly."

The assistant continued, "Old Qin asked me to tell you to prepare well and seize this opportunity!

This is not only your personal glory, but also an important opportunity for our Chinese actors to go global!"

After hanging up the phone, Lin Da's mood was like a turbulent sea, unable to calm down for a long time.

He knew that his desperate gamble had... begun to show a glimmer of hope!

Although it was just a video interview, there was still a long way to go before truly securing that role.

But this olive branch from Hollywood had already opened a door for him to the international stage!

Lin Da took a deep breath, and a more fervent fighting spirit burned in his eyes.

In three days, he would face that rising genius director from Hollywood.

He wanted to conquer him, conquer Hollywood, conquer... audiences all over the world with his strength!

His journey as a golden supporting actor, no, perhaps it should be said... his journey as a diamond male lead, was about to embark on a new, even more magnificent expedition!